The Legend of Korra: The Old Fire Lord
by maila08
Summary: Zuko explains why he has visited Korra


So after much demand, here's the continuation to the last story...enjoy! :)

* * *

"I-uh-um" Korra began. She had heard about Fire Lord Zuko. At first he tried to capture Avatar Aang, her past lifetime. But in the end he ended up befriending him and the rest of the "Team Avatar" and helped Aang learn firebending. She never thought she would get a chance to meet him in person.

Zuko chuckled again. "Hello Avatar Korra" he said sitting down where Mako had been.

"Hi" she finally managed to say.

"It must be a bit disorientating to wake and find that I came to visit you isn't it?" he told her.

"Yeah. I mean no. I-" she stammered. Her head was really about blow now. She winced as she placed her hand on her head.

"Are you alright?" Mako whispered.

"I'm fine. My head just hurts" she said.

"You should sleep and save your strength" Zuko said. "I will be here for a while. We can have a chat later" he continued as he got up from the chair.

"Wait!" Korra yelled as she sat up as fast as she could. Bad move. The entire room started to spin. She fell back to Mako's arms. Her head felt as if it had a drum inside.

Zuko looked at her and told Tenzin to get someone to check if she was ok. She suddenly looked pale and weaker than she had a few minutes ago. Mako was whispering to her to relax as she grabbed her side.

Senna walked in and hurried over to Korra. She leaned on Mako as her mother picked up her shirt to check on her side wound. The Lightning bolt had left a burn on her side. It wasn't too bad but Korra had injured herself with the sudden movement. Senna used the water from a jug she brought in and took it in her hands. "Hold her still" she told Mako. He nodded and wrapped his arms around her chest. The minute the water glowed, Korra started yelling and struggling against Mako's hold. He whispered in her ear to stay calm that he was with her and it would work for a little and then she would start fighting him all over again.

"I'm sorry Korra, but I have to start healing these wounds, or else you'll keep hurting yourself" Senna said. As much as she hated seeing her in pain she just had to begin to heal the ribs. It was a couple of minutes after that Senna finally stopped the healing process and bandaged Korra's stomach.

Korra's cheeks were wet with tears. She had cried because the pain was too much. She was leaning on Mako who was rubbing her arm. "It's ok Korra" he kept saying. Senna handed him a cup of leechi juice to give to Korra. She drank it little by little, but when she finished she went to sleep almost immediately.

"Did you put something in it?" Mako asked.

Senna nodded. "A sedative, I mixed into the leechi juice since I know how much Korra hates tea" she said as she turned to leave.

"Senna, I'd like for you to meet Fire Lord Zuko" Tenzin told her.

Her eyes grew wide. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you, I was-" she stammered.

Zuko chuckled again and said "Now I know where your daughter gets the stuttering from. And it's ex- Fire Lord Zuko. Zuko is just fine". Senna bowed her head and asked him to excuse her. He nodded and she left.

"Would you like for me to show you to your room?" Tenzin asked. Zuko shook his head.

"I'm going to stay here for a while, I'm sure this young man would be able to direct me afterwards" he said looking at Mako. Tenzin nodded and left.

Zuko went towards Korra's bed and sat down in Mako's chair once again. He looked at how Korra had her head on his chest and slept peacefully. She didn't make much noise and didn't move at all. Mako gently continued to rub her arm. She shuddered and he figured she was cold. Mako looked for the blanket but found it at the edge of the bed. Zuko got up and handed it to him.

"Thank you" Mako muttered as he covered Korra up to her shoulders.

"You love her don't you" Zuko commented.

Mako looked at him and nodded.

Zuko gave another chuckle. "Yes. You are the same way Aang was about Katara and vise versa. They were so protective of each other. Aang didn't unlock his last chakra because it asked him to give up his love for Katara at first. He realized however that he had to in order to protect her. Katara herself once threatened to kill me if I made any move to hurt Aang".

Mako stiffened. He wasn't used to telling people about the way he felt or having others tell him either. Korra was the love of his life. He would protect her at any cause. "I've read about you" he finally said.

"Yes. Many have read about me, but only few know who I truly am".

"Why did you come see Korra?" Mako asked. He knew Zuko had issues with the last Avatar and he wasn't about to let him hurt Korra.

"I didn't come here to hurt her, if that's what you are thinking" Zuko replied reading his mind. "I'm not going to say that I didn't once hate the Avatar, and my sole purpose was to capture him to regain my honor. But I did learn from all of that. I want to help Korra, just like I once helped Aang".

"How?" Mako asked.

"Do you know how to redirect lightning?" Mako shook his head.

"Can you produce it?"

"Yes. It took me a while but I can" he replied.

"Korra doesn't have the emotional capacity to manage lightning right now. She'd have the same results as I did when my uncle Iroh first taught me" he smiled at the memory.

"Then why teach her?" Mako asked curiously.

"I heard about what happened today. She lost control. Do you want to know why?" Zuko asked.

Mako stiffened again but answered "Yes".

"Korra is not emotionally stable right now. She is a strong girl but I know she has been through a lot these past few months. The battle with Amon and then being tortured by Lieutenant" he said but stopped. Mako was shaking with anger.

"Careful. You don't want to hurt her or wake her up" Zuko cautioned.

Mako looked at him and then at Korra. His eyes softened as he watched her sleep. He didn't know what Lieutenant had done to her. And Asami didn't want to tell him.

"How do you know what he did to her?" he asked.

"A reliable source" Zuko replied. "As I was saying, Korra is an emotional mess just like I was. She needs to let go of all the feelings she has bottled up inside her and I think that teaching her lightning is the perfect way. She is eager to learn and by releasing what she feels inside she will gain control over the Avatar State. The reason she couldn't calm down is because she wanted to unleash all of it, but she knew she would hurt someone while in the Avatar State".

"Korra is hurt. She needs to recover first" Mako said.

"Yes. That is the first step. To recover from her physical wounds and I think you will help her with her emotional ones".

Mako looked at Korra and gave her a kiss on the head. She stirred a little and smiled before going still once again. Mako and Zuko both smiled.

"She loves you" Zuko told him.

"I love her too".

"Yes I can tell. Well I'll see you both in the morning. Get some rest, I'll talk to her about beginning her lessons when she wakes up" Zuko said as her got up.

"Take the corridor all the way to the end" Mako said. Zuko looked at him with curiosity. "That's where your room is".

"Ah yes. Thank you" Zuko replied as he left.

* * *

Korra didn't wake up until past midday. She still looked and sounded tired but she insisted she was fine. She took naps here and there and finally in the afternoon Mako asked if she wanted to try and eat solids.

"Here" he said, handing her a bowl.

It smelled good, but she didn't want to start throwing up if her stomach rejected it. She slowly took a spoonful and when she realized nothing was coming back, continued eating. Mako smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked.

He laughed and kissed her forehead. "I'm just happy you are getting better" he said. Korra grinned as she continued to eat. It took her an hour to eat everything. She had been taking her time and had lots of leechi juice as well. After going to the bathroom, Korra talked to Mako.

"Can we go for a walk?" she asked. Mako hesitated. "Please? I want to stretch out my legs. I hate being cooped up". Mako shook his head but helped her get up. She put her hand around his waist and so did he. They went out into the quad and found Katara and Zuko playfully arguing. The sun was beginning to set.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" she scolded.

"I didn't know I was until I was practically here!" Zuko responded.

"A notice of you being 'almost' here would have been nice" she yelled at him.

"I already said I didn't know! Stop yelling at me!" Zuko yelled back. Katara rolled her eyes and was about to yell at him some more when she heard Korra's laugh.

"Korra!" she exclaimed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better" she replied as she sat in a bench where she was sitting. Zuko was in the opposite bench. "Hello Fire-I mean Zuko, sir".

Zuko smiled at her and said "Hello Korra". Mako sat next to her and she leaned on him. He wrapped his arm around her. He nodded at the old Fire Lord and he nodded back at him.

"Korra would you like to know, why I am here?" he said. She nodded.

"Do you know how to generate lightning?" he asked. Korra shook her head. "What about redirecting lightning?" She shook her head again.

"Zuko, you can't be serious" Katara began.

"I'm very serious. I think Korra will learn a lot from lightning" he said. Katara shook her head.

"Lightning is very dangerous. You almost died when you absorbed the shock that Azula sent towards me!" Katara cried.

"I didn't see that one coming. And I lived didn't I?" he responded.

"Barely" she answered.

"Wait, so you are willing to teach me how to produce lightning?" Korra said excited. She always wanted to learn how to do that. Mako wouldn't teach her, because he said he didn't know how to explain it. Zuko nodded.

"I'm in!" she said.

"No" Katara and Mako said together.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Didn't you just hear what Master Katara said? You can hurt yourself" Mako said.

"Well he lived" she said, pointing at Zuko. "Besides he said it himself, he didn't see it coming".

"What if you can't either" he retorted.

"If it makes you feel better I can teach you both. That way you will see and experience what she is" Zuko cut in. Mako hesitated.

"Come' on Mako" she said.

"Fine" he grumbled.

"I didn't agree to this" Katara said walking away. Korra looked at her, sadness in her eyes.

"She will get over it. She always does" Zuko assured her.

"When can we start?" Korra asked.

"Not anytime soon" Mako objected. Zuko nodded.

"You have to be fully recovered" he added. "Until then, I will try and make amends with Katara" he said as he walked the same direction she had left. Korra leaned on Mako. He kissed her on her head softly. She smiled.

"I was thinking" he began.

"What were you thinking?" she asked.

"That maybe we should go out on a date or something, I think that's what it's called" he said.

Korra snorted. "Yeah, I think that's what it's called" she teased. He laughed. "I'd like to go on a date with you. We've been together for the past four months, and haven't gone out once" she continued.

"Its four months and three days" he teased. Korra rolled her eyes. He laughed again. "Where would you like to go?"

"I don't know. Somewhere quiet, where it would be just you and me" she answered.

"Sounds perfect" he said with a grin. Korra yawned. "Let's get you to bed" he said standing up.

"Wait" she said. "Can we sleep in the hammock? I like being outside looking at the stars".

Mako looked at the hammock and nodded. He cradled Korra is his arms and headed over to it. He carefully placed her on it. "Do you want me by your side?" he asked. Korra smiled and nodded. He got on it with her and she put her head against his chest. Mako moved the hammock slowly and hummed a song. An hour later he saw the steady movement of Korra's chest go up and down. She was asleep. He worried that she was cold. Luckily for him Senna came out with a blanket in her hand.

"When I didn't see you two in the room, I figured you were out here" she said putting the blanket over Korra.

"She wanted to stay out here" he replied. Senna looked at her daughter and caressed her cheek. Korra continued to sleep.

"She sleeps so peacefully around you" Senna whispered.

"You're the second person that says that" he said, curiosity in his voice.

"It's because it's true. When Korra was injured, she would fidget when you weren't there but once you were by her side she relaxed and slept more. There is something about you that brings her comfort" she said. He smiled. "Well I'll let you sleep. Don't hesitate in calling me if you need anything".

Mako turned to look at Korra. He liked watching her sleep. He kissed her lightly on her head and whispered "I love you" before closing his eyes.


End file.
